


You Treat Me Like Your Boyfriend

by poeticallypathetic



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Cheating, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, F/M, G!P, I changed the archive warning 10/16/2020, Implied Smut, Major Character Injury, Not a lot tho, One is the absolute worst and tragic af, TRIGGER WARNING FINAL ENDING. READER DISCRETION ADVISED, This story has two endings, okay maybe like a little smut, one is happy, this story makes me cringe a little still but whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:54:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26520232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poeticallypathetic/pseuds/poeticallypathetic
Summary: But I don't want to be your secret anymore...
Relationships: Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Iroh II/Asami Sato, Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 87
Kudos: 251





	1. I'm Dying To Know (Is The One You Ended Up With Everything You Wanted?)

**Author's Note:**

> So, I originally posted this on FF.net as a Bechloe story, but since my dumb-ass forgot the email I used for that site, I figured, fuck it. I'm going to post on Ao3 and make it a Korrasami story. So here we are. (I also never finished it, so I'm hoping to here). 
> 
> There will be slight changes from the original, and I advise not reading the original unless you want it spoiled. 
> 
> UPDATE 10/10: I changed my username here so it's NOT the same anymore, but if anyone wants to read it because all the chapters posted here is when I stopped writing: xxpoeticallypathetic 
> 
> Anyway, also don't fully know why I made it G!P, but I did, so if you're not into that... well then, see ya?
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Tegan and Sara's song Boyfriend, but I used the lyrics for this story.

It started five months ago with 6 shots of whiskey and an empty beer bottle spinning on the bedroom floor of Opal Beifong. It was a harmless game that turned into something a little more complicated.

Don't get Korra wrong, the feeling of Asami laying underneath her as their lips attack each other was one of the best feelings in the world. But there this was other feeling that was slowly sinking into Korra, a feeling that wrapped itself around her heart and squeezed it as tightly as possible. Asami had a boyfriend, Asami would never really be hers.

The situation wasn't ideal at all, being the person that Asami cheated on her boyfriend with, but Korra couldn't help herself. Especially when Asami's hand brushed against the front of her jeans, causing her to grow extremely hard by the subtle touch.

"Fuck." Korra hisses out as she absentmindedly rolls her hips forward, Asami's other hand on her shoulder, nails digging into her skin through the thin fabric of her shirt. "Don't do that."

"Why not?" Asami feigns innocence.

"Because it's turning me o-"

But Korra's cut off by the sound of Asami's phone blaring through the bedroom, a specific ringtone that she's all too familiar with; Iroh 's.

Korra groans loudly as she rolls off of Asami, sitting on the edge of the bed, fingers running through her hair as Asami exits the room to take the call.

Korra’s not entirely sure how she let what she and Asami were doing get so far over the last five months, but it was definitely starting to take its toll on her. Korra loved Asami, like actually loved Asami. Maybe that's why she lets herself get taken advantage of. Asami showed zero clues of leaving her boyfriend of four years, Iroh Tanaka. Which Korra is still having a hard time wrapping her head around. Iroh was extremely possessive of his girlfriend, and Asami had mentioned time and time again how much of a turn off that was. Asami was cheating on him with Korra, for Christ's sake, but she still refuses to leave.

Korra chalks it up to be nothing more than not wanting to lose somebody who has been there for you, even if they are a bit crazy.

Asami enters the room again, throwing her phone on the bed before hopping on it and crawling towards where Korra was sitting. Korra lets out a sigh as she feels Asami 's chin rest on her shoulder, Asami 's arm supporting her on Korra's back.

"I'm assuming you're leaving?" Korra mutters, hoping that Asami doesn't see the eye roll she just did.

Asami lets out a deep breath before pulling away from Korra’s body and scoffing. "Yeah. He's mad that I wasn't home when I was supposed to be."

"Got it." Korra blurts out, trying not to sound upset, but it failed.

"What's up, Kor?"

"It's nothing." Korra assures as she looks behind her shoulder to see Asami staring at her with furrowed eyebrows as if she’s trying to read Korra’s face.

"It doesn't sound like nothing."

"I just... I don't get why you don't just leave him. I know it's not my place to talk at all, but recently, he kind of just treats you like he owns you, like you're nothing more than his property." Korra shrugs.

"I can't..." Asami bites her lower lip. "Because I-"

"You love him, I know." Korra interrupts before standing up. "Are you, uh, coming to my show tonight?"

"Of course." Asami smiles while she gets off the bed and gathers her things. "Iroh’s going out with his business team tonight so I'll be there, promise."

"Cool." Korra says plainly as she watches Asami fix her hair and sling her purse over her shoulder. "I'll see you later, then."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to play _**THIS**_ song?" Opal emphasizes as she looks over Korra’s set list.

"Why not?"

"Because it's not appropriate!" Opal argues. " Korra, we love you. But you can't just play a song you wrote for Asami in an attempt to win her over. You can't just go around spilling her secret for the world to see."

"No one will even know it's about Asami!" Korra retorts, crossing her arms and glaring at her friends.

"But she will! What if you lose her?"

Korra sighs, rolling her eyes at Opal before looking at Bolin, Kuvira, and Jinora pleadingly. "Then I still have my four best friends."

"Korra, none of us are just going to sleep with you because it's convenient." Opal scoffs, rolling her eyes.

"I sure hope Bolin wouldn't just sleep with me. I don't think I'd like to cross swords any time soon." Korra jokes.

"Ope’s right, Korra. This isn't the best way to talk about this with Asami." Bolin offers.

"There is no good way to talk about it with her. You know how long I've been trying? And it's not like I meant for it to get this far, but she needs to know..." Korra groans. "This isn't even about the sex, guys. I have legitimate feelings for her."

"Who knew?" Jinora says sarcastically as she rolls her eyes, earning herself a middle finger from Korra.

"Shut up, sis. Or I'll tell your mom you were drinking at that party." Korra warns and Jinora presses her lips together and looks off in the distance.

"Korra, we love you, but this could change everything." Kuvira adds her two cents in. "She's never going to leave Iroh and you know that."

"It's worth every shot I have left in me, then."

* * *

Asami sighs as she sits on the bed, watching Iroh get ready for his business dinner or whatever he was going to. She honestly zoned out a long time ago as Iroh continues raving about work.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" Iroh asks as he straightens his tie and looks at her.

"Huh?" Asami says, snapping out of her trance and looking up at him.

"Are you doing something tonight while I'm gone?" Iroh asks again, raising his eyebrow.

"Just going out with Ope and Kuv." Asami shrugs, leaving out the part that Korra would also be there because Iroh wasn't too fond of the shorter brunette. Something about her attitude or whatever.

"Drinking? Asami, you know how I feel about you getting drunk."

"You hate it because I'm too emotional." Asami states sternly, rolling her eyes.

"Don't drink tonight." Iroh warns as he sprays cologne on his wrists.

"What if I want to?" Asami replies, testing the waters.

"Then stop yourself." Iroh groans, narrowing his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to drink, and you're mine so you should listen to me." Iroh states harshly as he grabs his keys from the table.

"Whatever."

* * *

Asami holds on to her third cocktail as she watches Korra performing on stage. She feels her eyes lock on to the shorter brunette's hands as they hammer out a melody on the piano, the crowd going crazy as the song ends. She cheers loudly, chugging the rest of her drink before ordering another.

So Iroh told her not to drink, but Asami obviously didn't care. If her boyfriend could go get drunk with his business partners, then Asami could get drunk with her friends.

She watches as Korra announces her next song, and yells with everyone else as the piano starts.

**_Tell you that I love you, that I can't hold back.  
The feeling that you give me, wanna give it right back.  
I know you always win at this particular game.  
I need to know the rules if you want me to play._ **

Asami screams happily as she listens to the words, too tipsy to really understand the context of Korra’s lyrics. And then it hits her in the face like a ton of bricks.

**_You treat me like your boyfriend.  
And trust me like a, like a very best friend.  
Kiss me like your boyfriend.  
You call me up, like you would your best friend.  
You turn me on, like you would your boyfriend.  
But I don't want to be your secret anymore._ **

"Oh—" Asami starts with wide eyes as Korra continues.

**_I'm trying to be honest 'cause I can't relax.  
Oh, when I get around you, I can't hide the fact  
I let you take advantage 'cause it felt so good.  
I blame myself for thinking we both understood._ **

"—Fuck." Asami breathes out, glancing around her to make sure no one in the audience was staring at her as if she had a lit sign above her head that said, **'This song is about me'.**

She grabs her drink and chugs it before wandering off to find Opal and Kuvira, trying to not let the lyrics get to her.

**_Don't wanna, don't wanna play the crying game.  
_ ** **Do you feel the same?**  
**_Don't wanna, don't wanna spin the bottle again.  
_Do you feel the same?**

Asami locates Opal and Kuvira, tapping them furiously on the shoulder as her anxiety rises in her chest.

"Asami, are you okay?" Kuvira asks as she stares at the panicked look on her face.

"I need to go!" Asami yells over the music. "Tell Korra I'm sorry. I just can't be here right now."


	2. I Was A Fool For Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little fucky... hahah fucky.  
> There's like A TEENSY bit of smut in this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D Thanks for the kudos and comments guys! I'm glad this is well received. Enjoy the next installment.

_"It's slowing down!" Opal squeals as the bottle that's spinning on the bedroom floor loses its momentum. "Who will the engineer kiss?"_

_"This game is fucking stupid." Korra mutters with a contorted face. "Half of you are in relationships and you're okay with letting your S.O just kiss someone else? Not to mention, we're college graduates, not fucking high school students."_

_"Iroh doesn't even know I'm here." Asami shrugs before swaying back and forth drunkenly._

_"Isn't that WORSE?" Korra exclaims with a slight slur, and everyone's eyes are on her. Not because of her random outburst but because the bottle landed on her. "What? Am I the only one who thinks this takes cheating to a whole new level?"_

_"We're all consenting parties here, Korra." Asami smirks. "Now kiss me."_

_"Drunk girl say what now?" Korra’s eyes widen as Asami looks at her expectantly. Her eyes then trail down to the floor where the bottle was pointing at her. "Oh, hell no!"_

_"Fine, then I'll kiss the person closest to you. Jinora?" Asami turns and looks at Jinora_ _who was shyly sitting in the corner of the group._

_"Ew. Dude, no. She’s like my baby sister. She's not even 21!" Korra says in disgust. "This game is stupid!"_

_"Then shut up, kiss me, and it'll all be over with."_

* * *

"Fuck." Korra mumbles as she sits up straight in her bed, her hand pressing against her forehead as she tries to shake the extremely vivid flashback from her brain.

Honestly, Korra doesn't know how she let herself become a mess over the beautiful human being that was Asami Sato. She used to have morals, used to think cheating was wrong. But then Asami came along... What had started out as 'harmless' sex (as Asami liked to call it) had turned into a forest of feelings growing in the soil of Korra’s heart. What was supposed to be a one time thing turned into a weekly occasion that, by this point, Korra couldn't stop if she wanted to.

She was in love with Asami and she hated it more than she claimed she hated that stupid game of spin the bottle. It was the best and the worst thing that had ever happened to her, but right now, she was wishing it never happened at all.

Especially knowing that after she took a risk and sang that damn song, that nothing had changed. In fact, as her friends had predicted, Korra’s pretty sure she made it worse. Asami still went home to Iroh and Korra went home to her boring, empty house.

Korra shakes her thoughts and lies back down, hearing the scratching of nails across the floor as a door opens.

"Shit." She huffs out when she hears keys jingling and the loud barking of her Great Pyrenees, Naga, echoing through the hallway.

"Get your fucking ass in here, Beifong! I know it's you." Korra screams from her bedroom as she hears Naga running closer and the sound of Opal’s heels tapping against the hardwood floor.

"How'd you know it was me?" Opal asks as she enters the room, Naga happily jumping on the bed and cuddling next to Korra.

"Because you're the only one with keys besides Jinora and she loudly, but happily, greets this loser at the door." Korra chuckles as she rubs the floppy ears of her dog.

"Not even Asami has keys?" Opal smirks, gauging Korra’s reaction to her mention of the raven haired engineer.

"No, because that'd be weird." Korra narrows her eyes at the brunette.

"How would that be weird? She’s been one of your best friends since college. What if she needs late night sex and you're sleep-" Opal stops as the pillow from Korra’s bed smacks her in the face. "Ow!"

Opal scowls and glares at Korra, who's innocently petting Naga. "What?"

"You're a dick, Ekho."

"No, Opal... I have a dick. There's a difference." Korra quips back, finding herself more and more amused by Opal’s attitude. "What are you even doing here?"

"Oh, right. Well, Asami called me today and-"

* * *

_It was just after midnight when Korra finally decides to call it night. After her kiss with Asami, she opted out of the game and claimed that they do something that doesn't condone the behavior of acting like dumb high school students._

_She stands outside of Opal’s apartment complex and patiently waits for her Lyft driver to arrive when she feels a presence next to her. Holding her breath, she looks out of her peripheral vision to see Asami standing extremely close to her body._

_"Uh, hi." Korra stares blankly as she continues avoiding eye contact with the engineer._

_"Can I come back to your place?"_

_Korra’s eyes widen at the question and she gulps loudly, hoping her slight discomfort wasn't apparent. "Uh... why?"_

_"Iroh doesn't like it when I drink." Asami shrugs. "Opal’s apartment is small and I don't know. I don't want to go home."_

**_Just say no, Korra. Just say no-_ **

_"Oh... Uhm, sure."_

**_Idiot._ **

_"Thanks, Korra." Asami smiles as she drunkenly leans in and links her arms with the shorter brunette. "You're seriously the best."_

_Korra presses her mouth together in a tight lipped, awkward smile as the pair waits for the Lyft to arrive. She knew this was going to be trouble. Asami had been overly clingy on her throughout the night and even though Korra figured it was just due to her being drunk, she couldn't exactly pin point it._

_They arrive at Korra’s house twenty minutes later, immediately being greeted by Naga. Korra showed Asami the guest bedroom and gave her clothes to sleep in before turning in for the night._

_Somewhere in the first few minutes after falling asleep, Korra feels the bed dip and then warm skin touching her own. She cracks open an eye and sees Asami straddling her hips and staring at her hungrily._

_"Sami? What are you doing?" Korra asks, half awake as Asami leans forward and captures Korra’s lips in her own. She grinds her center against Korra and can hear a small moan escape from the thin lips of the brunette. "We... fuck... we can't."_

_"Yes, we can." Asami replies against her lips, moving her hand between their bodies and down to the waistband on Korra’s boxers. She dips her hand in the material and wraps her fingers around Korra’s semi-erect member. She starts slowly pumping up and down the shaft, causing Korra to grow unbearably hard at the sensation of Asami’s hand moving against her._

_"Fuck." Korra curses as she rolls her head back. She feels a cool breeze hit her legs as Asami starts to pull down her boxers, never breaking eye contact with her._

_Asami leans back down, her chest touching Korra's while her hand continues pleasuring Korra. Asami leans in, her lips ghosting over Korra’s ear. "I want you, even if it's just this one time."_

_Where Korra would usually protest such behavior (aka cheating), she found herself coming up short. All she can focus on was Asami’s hand on her member and the hot breath she just felt against her ear. Willpower was seemingly nonexistent at this point._

_"Okay." Korra breathes, grabbing Asami’s hand and flipping them over. "Just this once, right?"_

_Asami’s hand wraps around the back of Korra’s neck and pulls her down in a bruising kiss._

_"Just this once."_

* * *

Asami stares blankly at the ceiling while her right hand lays across her stomach and her left absentmindedly swirls the glass of wine sitting on the edge of the bathtub. She sighs loudly and looks down at the bubbles that covered her body, trying to keep her mind focused on something other than a particular, shorter brunette.

Though, she was failing miserably. Asami couldn't get Korra off of her mind ever since last night, ever since she heard Korra sing that song. And Asami felt guilty. She felt guilty that she cheated on Iroh and continued leading Korra on. It was never her intention to let it get that far. Hell, she shouldn't have even pushed Korra to have sex with her the first night they ever kissed. But she was hooked. Korra was soft and gentle, and truly caring of Asami’s wellbeing during sex whereas Iroh was sloppy and rough, and only really cared about getting himself off.

But Asami loves Iroh and he's been there for her for four years. She couldn't just expect to leave him and be happy with Korra. Up until last night, she didn't even know Korra had legitimate feelings for her. And while she knows she loves Korra as well, she can't bring herself to leave Iroh. Sure, he was getting to be a bit much, a little too overbearing, but he was her safety net and she doesn't want to give that up for something uncertain. Because she couldn't possibly be **in love** with Korra...

(Right?)

She brings the glass to her lips, taking a sip of the wine as the bathroom door opens.

"Really, Asami? Drinking again?" Iroh groans as he walks over to the sink and turns on the water, washing his hands before running them through his hair.

Asami rolls her eyes and flips the switch to drain the water. She stands up and grabs a towel, wrapping it around her body as she steps out of the tub.

"I mean, I still can't believe you drank last night after I told you not to." Iroh says as he turns around to see Asami staring at him. "What?"

Asami raises her eyebrow and grabs the wine glass, holding her hand over the tub and dumping the rest of it out into the draining water. She scoffs before setting the glass on the edge of the tub and walking out of the bathroom.

"So now we're just wasting alcohol?" Iroh follows her out of the bathroom and stands outside of the closet door that Asami had closed herself behind.

“You obviously don't want me drinking so I stopped the 'temptation'." Asami replied sarcastically as she dries her body off and slips into a robe. She opens the door and sees Iroh standing in the doorway.

"Ugh, Asami. I'm sorry. I just don't like how you get when you drink." Iroh tries to say in a sincere voice, but his undertone was still angry.

"Whatever." Asami pushes past him and walks toward her dresser. She grabs a pair of panties and shimmies into them, looking over her shoulder to see Iroh still staring at her like a piece of meat. "What?"

"I was just thinking," he starts out nervously, "I don't know that maybe we could... you know."

"I'm not in the mood." She replies coldly causing Iroh to groan loudly.

"You're NEVER in the mood." Iroh whines. "I have needs to you know."

"And you have a perfectly capable hand." Asami quips back before continuing to dress herself.

Iroh moves closer to Asami and grabs onto her wrist. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing. I just really don't want to have sex." _With you._

"Did I do something?"

"Just let it go, Iroh. It's sex. Stop making such a big deal out of it." Asami states harshly before grabbing her phone. Iroh scoffs loudly, taking his leave from the room and leaving Asami by herself. She looks at the screen and her eyebrow raises at the notifications on her screen.

**8 Missed Calls from Kor(:**

**1 New Voicemail**

She clicks on the voicemail button presses the phone against her ear.

_'Uh, Asami? Hey, it's Opal. Sorry I've been blowing up your phone... but... there's been an accident and Korra’s in the hospital and my phone is dead. Er, uh... yeah, just thought you should know.'_

Asami’s heart snaps in two as the voicemail ends and tries her best to keep her composure. "FUCK!"

Instantly, Iroh comes running back into the room. "What's wrong?"

"I need to go. Korra’s in the hospital and Opal’s freaking out." Asami states frantically as she puts her shoes on.

"Why is she in the hospital?" Iroh questions.

"I don't know. Opal wouldn't say. I'm sorry, I need to go see her." Asami bites her lower lip and hopes Iroh doesn't freak out.

"Then I'm going with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S ABOUT TO GET ANGSTY UP IN HURRRRR. 
> 
> So, this is only meant to be like a 5-6 chapter story, as I had originally wrote it.  
> But I never finished it, so the last two chapters may take a little longer to update.
> 
> There were two endings and I'm still deciding which one to choose.


	3. (Call) Break It Off, (Call) Break My Own Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is full of angst and more angst, and ANGST.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me.

"What are you even doing here?"

"Oh, right. Well, Asami called me today and-" Opal starts but she's immediately cut off by Korra's hand in her face.

"Wait. Hold that thought." Korra states as she gets up out of her bed. "I have shit to do today and I really don't want to talk about this right now, or I'll probably stay unmotivated forever."

Opal looks uncomfortably around Korra's room as she walks into her closet, trying her hardest to stop her from mentioning the engineer and how she could motivate Korra in more than one way. Maybe it's because she can see how much Korra is hurting, and she doesn't want to make it worse. Korra finally emerges from the closet fully clothed, staring at Opal.

"So you're going to help me get started and then we can talk about whatever Asami had to say, okay?" Korra raises her eyebrow expectantly at Opal who just nods and agrees. "Great. Let's go these lights aren't going to hang themselves."

"Lights?"

Korra sighs loudly as they walk into her garage and open the door. She searches for a minute before she grabs a box of Christmas lights and turns around, smiling at her best friend.

"Christmas lights? Really, Korra?" Opal asks in disbelief. "We live in California. Why the fuck do you need to hang Christmas lights?"

"Because my mom is visiting this year and 'Korra, your house is so boring. There's no holiday spirit! Where are the lights? The tree? You don't live in a cave!'" Korra says in her best impression of her mom.

Opal bursts out laughing, holding her stomach to stop it from cramping up. Korra just shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

"Grab that ladder." Korra nods her head towards the ladder that was leaning against the garage wall. Opal complies and they walk outside to set up.

Ten minutes later and Korra's on the roof, placing the gutter clips to hold the strand of lights and listening to Opal go on about how she really needs to tell Korra about the phone call. Because...

"Korra, can we please talk about this now before I forget why I came over in the first place?"

"Ugh, okay, fine." Korra groans as she carefully shimmies down the roof to the next foot of the gutter. "What did she say?"

"She said she's sorry that she left last night. She was caught off guard and didn't mean to react the way she did." Korra shrugs as Opal points to a small ziploc baggie on the ground.

"Toss that up." Korra demands and Opal does so. "So, then what?"

Opal bites her lower lip as she watches Korra move across the roof of her house with ease before looking around the front yard.

"Then she said she wanted to talk to you, but figured you'd hate her for leaving."

"I was disappointed, but I mean... anyone would be after trying that hard to tell someone how you feel and them leaving." Korra sighs as she points to the next thing she needed Opal to throw up. "I just... I needed to get it out. I needed her to know."

"She really loves you, you know." Opal states as she grabs the spindle of lights out of the box.

Korra stops working and looks down at Opal. "Did she actually tell you that, or are you just speculating?"

Korra steps closer to the house and tosses up the lights. She reaches out to catch the lights, misjudging the distance she needed to lean forward. Her foot slips on a shingle and she starts to plunge off the roof headfirst.

"Shit Opal, move!" Korra screams as she puts her hands out. Opal steps out of the way lightning quick and Korra crashes into the ground, two loud cracks ringing in her ears.

Opal’s instantly by her side, helping Korra roll onto her back. "Oh my god! Are you okay?"

"Fuck!" Korra hisses out in pain with her face scrunching up. "No, I'm not okay. We need to go to the hospital."

"I took a Lyft here! Where are your keys?" Opal asks frantically as Korra sits up, hovering over her wrists in agony.

"Where they always are, Beifong! Just get them and my phone and let's go!"

* * *

A few hours after Opal had called Asami, the engineer and her boyfriend show up at the hospital. As soon as they find Opal, they're briefed on Korra's condition. She suffered two completely shattered wrists and had just gotten out of surgery. They were allowed to see her, but were warned that she will most likely be unconscious until the anesthesia wears off.

The trio make their way into the room Korra was assigned to and Asami is instantly by her side.

"How did this happen?" Asami asks as she looks at Opal.

"She fell off her roof." Opal lowers her head and tries her best not to let details of the conversation she had with Korra slip out while Iroh was present. “We were hanging lights and she slipped.”

Asami can feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she leans forward and wraps her arm around Korra's chest. She lays her head on the pillow next to Korra, completely unaware of her own behavior... which wasn't going unnoticed by Iroh.

"Why would you go and do this to yourself?" Asami whispers out of earshot of the other two people in the room. "You damn near scared me."

She stares at Korra, who, for obvious reasons, was unresponsive. She lifts her head off of the pillow and gently places a kiss on Korra’s cheek, her hand stroking back strands of Korra's hair.

Iroh's watching from the distance and feels his hand roll into a fist, gripping tightly on nothing as the scene in front of him unfolds. Now, he knew that Korra and Asami were friends throughout college, and he knew that they were close back then; but up until recently, Asami hadn’t mentioned spending a lot of time with Korra and figured the two weren’t as close as they used to be. Definitely not as close as to spark this sort of response out of Asami. Or so he thought. 

He can feel the air leaving his nostrils as he breathes heavily, trying not to let the anger overpower him.

Was this why Asami was being distant with him? Because she was getting close with Korra? Had Asami been unfaithful?

And then it clicks. Asami's responses to every time he wanted to have sex, her sarcastic remarks and defying him when he asked her not to do something. It all made sense to him now, and he needs to leave before he does something he regrets. But he doesn't. He just sits there and stares at his girlfriend, his girlfriend who was practically attached to another person's side, giving them the love and affection she had stopped giving him.

"Are you fucking serious!?" Iroh raises his voice and Asami is so startled, that she jumps up into a standing position. Opal slowly backs away and Iroh holds his hand out at her, telling her to stop. "Did you know about this?"

"About what?" Opal asks, extremely scared of Iroh's behavior.

"About my girlfriend sleeping with Korra!?"

"What the fuck? Where did you get that from?" Asami asks as she leaves Korra's bedside and walks over to her boyfriend.

"I can SEE it, Asami. For gods sake, she's unconscious and you're latched onto her like you’ve been in a committed relationship with her for years!" Iroh yells at her.

"She's my best friend!" Asami defends, trying to grab a hold of Iroh's hand, but he pushes her away.

"Don't fucking touch me." Iroh spits in her direction. "It's so obvious now. God, I'm a fucking fool!"

Opal's standing in the corner, watching Asami and Iroh fight, trying her best to stay out of it.

"Iroh, you're overreacting!" Asami argues.

"OVERREACTING? You betrayed my trust, Asami! She may be your best friend, but I'm not fucking blind." Iroh screams as he yanks his arm away from Asami again.

"Can we please talk about this? Let me explain!" Asami pleads, but Iroh's mind is already made up. He shakes his head and turns to leave, but Asami takes one last chance to change his mind. She couldn't let this happen. She couldn't let her safety net walk away.

She grabs his arm one last time, feeling him tug it away before feeling a warm sting on her cheek from the other hand that came in contact with her face. "I told you to not fucking touch me!"

Asami places her palm over the sensitive spot that Iroh just slapped and the tears in her eyes stream down her face.

"You... you hit me." Asami states blankly as Iroh freaks out and rushes towards her.

"Asami, I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." Iroh starts instantly apologizes, but this was unforgivable. "I'm sorry, babe."

"Just leave, Iroh." Asami says through gritted teeth. "Get out of here."

* * *

Korra lays in her bed and stares at the ceiling as she draws random patterns in the texture. It had been a few days since her surgery and she was feeling the cabin fever start to settle in. She felt completely useless. Both of her arms were in splints, and under the dressings were so many stitches that she was starting to feel like Frankenstein.

On top of that, she still hadn't heard from Asami and by this point in time, she doesn't want to. Opal mentioned something about her visiting Korra in the hospital, but didn't stick around until Korra was conscious. She knew exactly what message she was trying to get across.

"Why, me?" Korra breathes out loud as the doorbell rings. She raises an eyebrow, wondering who it could be. She groans and struggles out of bed before walking towards the front door. From the frosted glass, she can see the faint outline of raven hair and she gulps loudly.

"Naga, door!" She commands and the Pyrenees happily trots up to the door and uses her paw to push down on the handle and open the latch. She then grabs the rope tied to the door handle and pulls it open. Korra holds her breath as she comes face to face with Asami. "What are you doing here?"

"I just needed to make sure you're okay." Asami says quietly, biting on her lower lip.

"I'm fine." Korra replies harshly and abruptly.

"I- are you sure? You don't need help with anything?"

"I don't need YOUR help, Asami. You've done enough." Korra narrows her eyes at the engineer who looked like Korra just kicked her puppy.

"Korra, I kno—”

"Save it, Asami. I don't want to hear it." Korra cuts her off, ready to close the door in her face.

"Why are you acting like this? What's gotten into you?" Asami presses and Korra feels like the last straw has been pulled.

"YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW? Are you seriously that dense?" Korra angrily yells. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT."

"My fault? I- I don't understand." God she could be so thick-headed sometimes.

"YOU MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU. YOU MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU KNOWING YOU'D NEVER LEAVE IROH!!" Korra screams. "You _pushed_ me into having sex with you after I said we can’t because you have a boyfriend. You caused all of this.”  
  
“Korra, I—”

“I don't need your help!"

Korra watches as Asami's eyes widen at her outburst before going to speak, but Korra wasn't ready to deal with it. Instead, she roughly pushes her left hand against the door, yelping out in pain as it slams in Asami's face.

"KORRA! PLEASE, OPEN THE DOOR!" She hears Asami call out from her front porch. She slumps against the door, trying not to let the pain of accidentally using her broken wrist get to her. "Korra! Please!"

"GO AWAY!"

"NO!" Asami stands her ground. "YOU ARE NOT SHUTTING ME OUT. NOT AFTER EVERYTHING I DID FOR YOU!"

* * *

_Asami holds her breath as she unlocks the front door to her apartment. She had left the hospital after about an hour of Korra still not waking up and knew she'd have to deal with Iroh sooner or later._

_She pushes the door open and slams it shut, walking into the bedroom to see Iroh sitting on the edge of their bed with a bottle of whiskey in his hand._

_"I thought we were happy." He says as he takes a swig out of the bottle._

_"We were... but things changed and I- I was a coward." Asami admits as she watches her boyfriend take another drink. "I'm sorry, Iroh. I didn't mean for it to happen."_

_"Then what did you mean by it when you slept with Korra? How long has this been going on?" Iroh asks, pressing Asami for the answers she knew he deserved._

_Asami sighs loudly and walks over to Iroh, grabbing the bottle out of his hand and taking a shot of it before handing it back. She was definitely going to need liquid courage if she was about to tell her boyfriend the truth. "It was at Opal's party, five months ago. We were drunk and stupid, and just decided to play spin the bottle. It was supposed to be a harmless game and Korra detested it to no end, but we made her play. I had to kiss her and I thought it would be easy enough, but... I felt something. And I was the one who pushed her into it. I was the one who let it go on. Everything that has happened, it's my fault. I love you, Iroh, and I felt safe with you. But I think I'm in love with Korra. And I’m sorry that I let this get out of hand."_

_"You think?"_

_Asami shakes her head lightly, really thinking about how she felt about Korra. Her relationship with Iroh had fallen apart the second that she kissed Korra. "No, I- I know I am..."_

_"I get it, Asami. I really do. I've been distant and needy at the same time. I've been controlling and slightly abusive, and that's not right. I just... I was always scared of losing you and by doing what I thought would protect you, I pushed you away more. This is as much my fault." Iroh replies honestly because he's right. His behavior had driven Asami away into the arms of someone who didn't treat her like their property._

_"I'm sorry." Asami says softly. "I love you, Iroh, but I think we should call it quits. You slapped me and I told myself I'd never stay with anyone who got aggressively physical with me, no matter the circumstance. I know that I hurt you, and I'm sorry. What I did was unforgivable and wrong. I can never forgive myself for cheating on you... But we're not happy anymore."_

_Iroh nods and stands up, grabbing his suitcase. "I understand, Asami. And I am truly, sorry for hitting you. It was out of line and wrong. But can I ask you something else?" Asami nods. "If you weren't happy, why didn't you say anything?"_

_"Because I was trying to convince myself that I wasn’t in love with her. And that everything would work out between us since we had been together for so long. But nothing I could say or do would ever make me feel any differently. It scared me because with you, everything was certain, at least in terms of my future. I just—"_

_"You didn't want to lose your safety net.“ Iroh answers for her. "I hope everything works out for you."_

_Iroh leans forward and kisses Asami on the top of her forehead before walking towards the door. "I'll be back for the rest of my stuff later."_

* * *

Korra stays slumped against the door, the pain medications and yelling at Asami draining her completely as she tries to focus on what Asami is saying from behind her front door.

"Korra! Please! I am not leaving here until you open the door and let me explain." Asami states confidently.

Korra clicks her tongue and Naga perks up from her dog bed by the couch. Korra moves to the side and motions to the door, Naga running across the hardwood floor and happily opening the door for her. Korra stays on the ground and mumbles something incoherent, waiting for Asami to come in.

"Thank you, Naga." Asami says as she pets the drooling, happy dog who barks in response. Asami then spots Korra on the floor and her heart drops. Pain was written all over Korra's face in every crevice of her forehead wrinkling as she winced, and Asami knew (if the yelp that escaped Korra's lips was any indicator) that Korra was extremely hurt. Asami kneels down and places her hands under Korra's arms and pulls her up. "Come on, Korra. You need to lie down."

"I told you..." Korra tries to protest as Asami walks her to her bedroom, but Asami is quick to shut her up.

"That you don't need my help, I get it. But you would have been sitting there for a while, so I'm doing your back a favor." Asami says as Korra plops down on her bed.

Korra crosses her cast-clad arms and huffs out. "I still don't have anything to say to you."

"Good, because I want you to listen to me." Asami rolls her eyes at Korra's childish behavior. "Iroh and I are done.”

"Ooo...kaaaay."

"I could really use you not being sarcastic for once." Asami states sternly.

"Not likely to happen."

Asami groans loudly as sits down next to Korra on the bed. "You told me... well, kind of, that you didn't want to be my secret anymore, and you're not... Iroh knows everything, now. And I'm sorry for making you feel like I'd always choose him over you. Look, Korra, you're right. I love Iroh, but I'm not in love with him anymore. Because of you. I'm in love with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I tried. I TRIED to give you jealous Asami, because I liked your ideas. But please remember that this story was written 4-5 years ago and everything is laid out and I just couldn't make it work because a big part of the plot is Korra literally being unconscious during the hospital scene.
> 
> There are technically 4 chapters left. They will go as followed
> 
> Chapter 4: Next Chapter  
> Chapter 5: Second to last chapter  
> Chapter 6: Ending 1  
> Chapter 7: Ending 2 
> 
> I'll post both endings that I had planned for this, that I couldn't decide between. But the chapter leading up to those endings (Chapter 5) will stay the same.


	4. Don't Rush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings are felt and advice is needed

_"Look, Korra, you're right. I love Iroh, but I'm not in love with him anymore. Because of you. I'm in love with you."_

Korra has to do a double take as she tries to process the words Asami just spewed from her mouth. She wished she could pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but her broken arms said otherwise. She soaks in the words. Memorizes the way Asami’s voice sounded when she claimed to be in love with her. Burns the look of the pained and truthful face of Asami into her brain. Then tries to gauge how any of that was actually possible. How Asami could have seemingly left Iroh. How Asami felt the same way about Korra that Korra did about her. How Asami would just throw it all away for her. How Asami could choose her.

And she can't fathom an answer for any of those statements. Because Asami would have never left Iroh for Korra. Asami would never give up the security she knew for four years for a person like Korra. Korra was having a hard time believing anything she just heard. Because five minutes ago, all Korra felt was her heart shattering worse than her wrists. She felt angry that Asami had left her. She felt angry that Asami would always get her worked up and then leave to go back to Iroh. She fell in love with her best friend and now her best friend suddenly left her boyfriend and was confessing her love to Korra?

Surely, she was dreaming.

(She's not).

“Korra, please say something." Asami pleads as she stares at the unreadable look on Korra’s face.

"Why?" Was the only thing that Korra could muster up the courage to speak.

"Why what? Why say something or-"

"Why me?" Korra interrupts.

Asami sighs loudly as she paces back and forth in front of Korra’s bed. She bites her lower lip. She had never really thought of why she was in love with Korra, she just knew she was. "I can't explain it. You're just... you're just you."

"How long? How long have you had feelings towards me?"

"Since we kissed." Asami admits as her pacing stops.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

Asami knew this was coming. Knew the question would be asked. Why would she stay with Iroh when she knew she was in love with Korra? Sure, Iroh was her security, but it was more in depth than that.

"Because, I didn't want to lose you. Iroh’s future, it was secure. And you, Korra, you're a rising star. You're finally getting noticed. I didn't want to risk having you before you got whisked away to some record deal and left. Our future was uncertain."

Now, Asami knows her answer seems a bit... outlandish. She knew for a fact Korra would probably never actually leave her. That while music was her passion, Korra would probably give it all up for her. But she doesn't know. She's never known because they've never talked about it. Asami has always craved stability, it helps her get by. Which is why she stayed with Iroh. Being with him was stable, it was secure.

But Korra… Korra had so many opportunities that Asami didn't want to take away from her. Korra could be the huge musician she always wanted to be. Labels would seek her out and she'd leave. Or, she'd stay and give up her dreams for Asami. And Asami would never want that.

"Life is uncertain, Asami.” Korra states flatly. "You can't settle for 'stable' when life throws curveballs. It's always changing. You have to change with it."

"I know but..." and Asami freezes. She freezes because she knows Korra is right. Korra’s always right. Korra had every right to be skeptical, to be angry at her. She led her on for five months and now she's standing next to her bed, telling her how much she loved her and that she left Iroh for her. And she knew, she knew it wouldn't be easy gaining Korra’s trust after everything that transpired over the last few days.

"But?"

"I don't know." Asami sighs as she rubs the back of her neck. "I love you. That's all I know. And I'm scared, okay?"

And Korra breaks down. She breaks down because cool, confident Asami was scared of her feelings. And Korra was, too. Scared that it wouldn't even work out. Scared that Asami could potentially break her heart just like she probably had Iroh’s, though Korra still doesn't know the full story. Scared she couldn't give Asami what she wanted. Up until now, their relationship had been solely sexual. And while they maybe had feelings, they were pushed to the back burner and weren't brought up until the other party was gone.

And frankly, Korra doesn't know how to deal with any of this. Because one part of her wants to kiss Asami senseless and the other part of her wants to run, just like Asami had once.

"I- I need time to think..." Korra stutters out and she's instantly regretting it when she sees the pained look on Korra’s face. "I- I just... please, Asami.”

"Okay." Asami says in a defeated voice. But honestly, what was she expecting? For them to just be okay after she hurt Korra?

(Well yeah, but...)

She knew that wasn't the way this would work.

"I understand." And then she's conflicted. Conflicted on if she should just leave, or show a gesture of affection to prove to Korra that she really wanted her, all of her in every aspect.

Asami slowly and cautiously makes her way to the edge of Korra’s bed, leaning forward and pressing a small kiss to the brunette's forehead before instantly pulling away, tears starting to fill her eyes. She presses her lips together in a tight smile before turning around and heading for the door. Hoping. Hoping to hear Korra tell her to stop. Hoping to hear Korra tell her they should talk about it and work it out. Because there's still _so much_ more that she needed to tell Korra, but the words never come from Korra's mouth that would cause her to turn back around.

And Korra watches. She watches the love of her life walk out of the door to give her space. To give her time to think about things. She watches Asami act in selflessness and she can't help but fall in love with her more, but with hesitation. Always with hesitation.

She needed advice.

* * *

_Opal wakes up to the sound of her phone blaring through her apartment at 7 in the morning. She groggily groans before reaching for her, keeping her eyes shut as she answers it._

_"Hello?" Opal yawns into the phone and waits for whoever called her to answer._

**_'Hi...'_ ** _Asami’s shaky voice echoes through the receiver. **'I need to talk to you.'**_

_Opal nods, even though the engineer can't see her and sits up in bed. She rubs her eyes before opening them and letting out a deep sigh._

_"What's up, Asami?"_

_And then there's silence. So much silence that Opal has to pull the phone away from her face to see if Asami was still there._

_She was._

_"Asami?"_

**_'I'm in love with Korra.'_ ** _Asami flat out states before going silent again._

_And Opal has to process what one of her best friends just told her. Because it doesn't make sense to her. She knew that Korra and Asami had what she thought was meaningless (on Asami's side) sex. She knew that Korra was in love with Asami. But Asami being in love with Korra while she was in a committed four year relationship? It hit her like a bus._

**_'And I'm sorry for leaving last night as quickly as I did but I- I couldn't face her. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. But...'_ ** _another pause of silence. **'I just don't know what to do.'**_

_"You need to talk to her." Opal admits, knowing that this was probably the only thing that would make sense to the engineer._

**_'I can't. She probably hates me. I would just disappoint her and break her heart more. I can't do that...'_ ** _And Opal knows by this point that Asami's sitting there, biting her lip, like she always does when she gets nervous._

_"Why would you break her heart more?"_

**_'Because I can't leave Iroh.'_ ** _Asami says with such fear in her voice that Opal grows increasingly worried._

_It's not that she hated Iroh. She actually liked the guy, sometimes. But in the recent months, everyone had seen a behavior change in him AND in Asami. Asami was always worried about what he would think about the things she did that he told her not to. And Opal wonders how she could so easily sleep with Korra with that fear in place. And then it clicks. Love can make people do crazy things._

_"Asami, I love you, right?" She hears Asami grunt in confirmation and continues. "I don't think your relationship with Iroh is healthy, anymore. You need to leave him."_

**_'I can't! Ope, he's been my support for four years.'_ ** _Asami defends and Opal rolls her eyes._

_"And so has Korra. Korra's been there for you since before Iroh. She's been there from the moment you became college roommates up until now." Opal convinces._

**_'I just- I can't.'_ **

_"You're not happy, anymore, Asami. For gods sake, take a risk and be happy." Opal groans, quite tired of hearing everyone's excuses. "Look, at first, I told Korra not to sing the song because it would change everything. And it did... but she still took that risk in hopes you'd understand. In hopes you felt the same way. You do feel the same way, so why are you fighting this?"_

**_'Because I'm scared that I'll end up breaking her heart regardless.'_ ** _Asami admits. **'I'm scared that I'll do to her what I did to Tom.'**_

_Opal groans loudly as she tries to come up with something nice to say instead of sounding rude, but she can't. It's never been in Opal's nature to beat around the bush. She was as blunt as they come._

_"You're not doing anyone any favors by continuing down the path you are. You're betraying Iroh and leading Korra on. It's not fair to either of them. You have to make a choice."_

* * *

"What would you do?" Korra asks as she sits in her bed, Bolin sitting on the edge of her bed.

"What do you mean?"

"Like okay... so let's just say for a second you were in my shoes. Let's just say that Opal cheated on someone for you..." Korra starts, knowing that Jesse was the most unbiased party in their group. "And she left them because she was in love with you. What would you do?"

Bolin stays silent as he tries to play out the scenario in his head. He furrows his brow before coming up with an answer he was hoping Korra agreed with. "I'd give her a chance."

"Wouldn't you be scared she'd just do it again?"

"No, no... I wouldn't. Korra, it's rare that once you're a cheater, you're always a cheater." Bolin offers. "Look, being in love with someone... it's a whole different ballpark. If they were just cheating to cheat, then yeah, I'd be concerned. But Asami didn't cheat on Iroh just to do it. She did it because she's in love with you. And maybe yeah, she should've left Iroh... but we all know how stubborn she can be."

"I just don't- I don't want to give her the power to break my heart more than she has." Korra says skeptically.

"She may have the power to, Korra, but you have to trust that she won't. It's a two way street." Bolin shrugs as he scoots closer to the small brunette, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Look, from what I can see, you're both in love with each other. And it's unconventional, but you need to give love a chance before you lose it and her forever."

Korra sighs loudly. She knows Bolin is right and she kind of hates it. She hates it because Bolin had told her that she could lose Asami forever. He shed light on her situation and she really fucking hated it.

Because if she continues being stubborn, continues fighting this just because she's scared of what Asami could potentially do to her, then she could lose every opportunity of happiness. Every chance to be loved and love in return. And she can't stand it. The thought of losing Asami almost scares her more than the fact that Asami could break her heart. Because if she doesn't give it a chance, she'll never know.

And she wants to know.

* * *

Korra finds herself in front of the door of Asami's apartment. She had only been here twice, with Opal and Bolin to pick Asami up. She never felt like she belonged here and now, she was. She holds breath as she works up the courage to somehow knock. She lifts her leg, ready to kick the door lightly with her shoe when it opens.

"Korra,” Iroh breathes out, closing his eyes before pressing his lips together.

"Uh..." Korra draws out as she stares at Asami's now ex boyfriend who had a small box in his hands. "I'm sorry."

She goes to turn around and leave, but Iroh's voice stops her. "Wait."

Korra sighs, standing with her side facing Iroh before looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You can go in. I was just leaving." Iroh says calmly and Korra's honestly shocked. She was expecting Iroh to be pissed, to be mad at her, but he's not. "I, uh... didn't want to leave the house unlocked but I left my key so..."

"So, it's true." Korra whispers out, feeling a pang of guilt in her heart.

Iroh nods his head and Korra turns to face him, but keeps her head lowered. "I didn't mean for this to happen, Iroh. I'm so sorry."

"It was bound to happen, anyway." He shrugs, readjusting the box in his hands. "She's been in love with you for five months.”

Korra just nods, staying silent as Iroh moves out of the way. Korra takes his place in front of the door as he starts heading down the hallway.

"You're not mad?" Korra calls out down the hallway.

Iroh stops and shakes his head. "I was, and I did some things I regret, and I don’t blame her for leaving me. All I want is for her to be happy. I wasn’t exactly ‘boyfriend of the year.’ But she's happy because of you and I can't stand in the way of that. I'm not mad at you, Korra. Love is an unstoppable force. And I'm not going to ruin that for you two for the sake of me."

"I... uh..." Korra stammers out, but she doesn't know how to respond. She can tell Iroh is hurt, she knows that feeling of heartache. She's been feeling it for months. And now, he's the one who has to feel it while she gets the girl. While she's the one who gets that happiness. He sacrificed his happiness for Asami's and her own, and Korra feels guilty. Guilty that she gets Asami and Iroh gets nothing. But she can't turn back, now. The damage had been done and she knows that they all have to keep moving forward.

"Just take care of her, Ekho. Do what I couldn’t. That's all I ask."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm interested to see how _you_ think this will end.
> 
> Because I know from what I write, it may seem like I'm just gonna make everything better. But what if, what if I'm not :O
> 
> Also, there are hints. But I'm not gonna tell you what they are.


	5. Don't Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me...

Opal runs down the hallway as she reaches the door she's looking for. After running into Iroh at his new apartment and realizing everything Asami had told her a few nights ago to be true, Opal immediately booked it over to Asami's. Hoping the door was unlocked, she presses down on the handle and the door opens. She sighs loudly as she walks into the apartment, calling out Asami's name. 

"Asami!? Asami, we need to talk this fucking instant!" Opal screams through the apartment. She looks around the entry way, making her way into the living room and spotting a figure on the couch that she was not expecting. "Korra?" 

"What are you doing here?" Korra asks, shocked with her eyes wide open. 

And Opal's conflicted. Because she doesn't know why Korra is here in the first place. Asami hadn't shared any details regarding the shorter brunette since she left the hospital. 

"I should be asking you the same thing..." Opal says cautiously. "But something tells me that we're not on the same page." 

Korra nods understandingly and Opal sighs as she sits down next to Korra on the couch. She presses her lips together as she looks at Korra out of the corner of her eye. 

"Asami stopped by today..." Korra shrugs as she stares down at her cast clad arms. "She... she said she left Iroh, that she told him everything, and that she chose me over him." 

Opal's eyes widen at the admission. Because even she knew that Asami wasn't one to bend the truth. But she had with Korra and Opal's not sure why Asami felt the need to lie. And she's conflicted on telling Korra because she knows this could break her heart more than it had already broken during the entire five months she couldn't have Asami. 

"Korra... there's, uh, there's something you need to know."

* * *

 ** _‘Iroh’s gone.’_** Asami says blankly into the phone and Opal presses her ear closer as she tries to process the words that she was saying. 

"Like... gone, gone?" 

Opal hears Asami sigh loudly, picturing her nodding at the same time before going completely silent. 

**_‘We broke up.’_ **

"Because of Korra?" Opal asks, hearing a soft sniffle from the other end. 

**_‘Because I got caught, yes. And because he hit me…’_** Asami says with the sound of sobs held back in her throat. **_‘If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t leave him, but... I did.’_**

"Are you going to tell Korra?" 

**_‘Should I?’_ **

"Asami, yes.” Opal states sternly. 

**_‘What do I tell her though?’_ **

"The truth." Opal says, as if there were any other answer to this question. 

**_‘But what if the truth hurts her?’_** Asami tries to justify and Opal groans loudly. 

"Lying is going to hurt her more." 

**_‘But I…’_** and Asami pauses, goes silent and once more Opal has to make sure she's still on the line. ** _‘You’re right.’_**

"I'm always right."

* * *

"What do I need to know, Ope?" Korra asks as she stares at Opal who had grown increasingly silent since she last spoke. "Opal?" 

"Asami wasn't going to leave Iroh!" Opal spurts out. "She got caught and when she tried to explain herself, he hit her. That's why she left him." 

Opal immediately regrets this decision to tell Korra and covers her mouth with her hands, eyes welling up with tears as Korra stares dumbfounded at the ground. 

"She- she lied to me." Korra scoffs as she shakes her head. "When she told me not to shut her out after 'everything she's done for me'... it was all a lie. She told him because he found out, not because she wanted to..." 

"Korra, I'm so sorry." Opal cries as Korra stands up from the couch, the expression of heartache written all over her face. "I told her to tell you the truth. That you'd still listen to her." 

Korra closes her eyes, breathing out in disbelief as she walks towards the front door. She paces back and forth down the small entry way, casted hand sitting under her chin as she thought. 

Of course, Asami would tell Korra what she wanted to hear. Of course, Asami wouldn't risk losing the man she loved and the woman she was in love with. And no matter how hard Korra tried to justify the engineer’s lies because she was madly in love with her, she couldn't. She felt nothing but betrayal and emptiness settling into the hole in her heart that Asami created. 

Because Korra had wished what Asami said was true. She had wished that Asami was sincere in what she had said, in her attempts to win Korra over after everything she caused. She wanted to be chosen, not convenient. Because all she's ever been to Asami was convenient, and Korra couldn't handle it anymore. 

And she felt absolutely ridiculous, waiting around for Asami in her own apartment. Waiting for things to be okay and to finally have the one person she never could. And now, she knew she never would. Asami had taken everything away from Korra, every ounce of fight she had left. She stripped her down and made her feel special, but Korra knew she wasn't. If she was so special to Asami, Asami would have told her the truth. And Opal was right, Korra would have understood and none of them would be in this dilemma. If Asami had just told Korra that she left Iroh because he hit her, because he found out... they could have worked through it, but now... all hope was thrown out the window. 

Korra was still Asami's secret, never fully a part of the raven-haired engineer's life. Always hidden and tucked away in the dark. Never quite knowing what was going on and always second best. Regardless of if Iroh knew, Asami didn't tell him of her own free will. She didn't tell him because she felt it was the right thing to do. No, she hid Korra away until she got caught, and only then did she explain herself. And Korra? Well, Korra was always her secret. 

And Korra's heart shatters as she stands in front of Asami's front door, looking for an exit. But her feet are planted on the ground, unable to move, the overbearing weight on her shoulders holding her down. Her upper body shakes as she as the sobs tear through her and air suddenly seems sparse. She can hear Opal stand up and walk towards her, but nothing the brunette could do would comfort her at this point in time. 

"Open the door for me." Korra breathes out, her voice trembling. 

"Korra..." 

And then suddenly, like a snap, Korra's angry. Angry and crying as she yells at Opal. "OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR, BEIFONG! I NEED TO GO!" 

And Opal goes to comply, after seeing the thunder and lightning in Korra's stormy blue eyes. But is suddenly taken aback by the door knob twisting from the outside. She pushes Korra away from the door as it swings open to reveal the one person she knew Korra couldn't face right now. 

"What... are you doing here?" Asami draws out, looking between the two girls. 

"I'm leaving." Korra replies harshly as she goes to push past Asami, but the engineer stops her. 

"Why?" 

"Because you lied to me." Korra narrows her eyes at Asami, her eyebrows pointed downward in an evil, anger filled manner. "You didn't choose me. You got caught and you lied to me." 

"Korra, I-" 

"And to think I was stupid enough to come here and tell you the same damn thing. That I'm fucking in love with you, too. But it doesn't matter anymore. I was only ever a convenience to you and I'm done. I'm done being a pawn in this fucking game." Korra practically growls and Asami's eyes start welling with tears as she watches Korra's fingers wrap around the necklace she had given her in their sophomore year of college. And in an instant, Korra uses all of the strength she has in her broken wrist to yank it off of her neck, the clasp breaking as she throws it at Asami and shoulder checks her, making her way past the engineer. 

Asami stands in her doorway, mouth gaping and eyes wide in shock as she tries to gauge everything that just happened. What Korra had said, what she had accused her of. And frankly, Korra’s not wrong. Asami _had_ lied to her. Asami _had_ bent the truth. So, she stands there and freezes. She doesn't go after Korra or call out her name. And then she looks down at her hand, gently grasping the necklace Korra had thrown at her, holding it over her heart as she feels the cracks start to splinter off. She runs her thumb over the silver music note on it and she knew that it was over. That their five years of being best friends had come to an end. That she'd never get to kiss those lips again or hold Korra's hand again.

And nothing she did now would ever make up for breaking Korra's heart. But…  
  
She knew it was for the best. Too bad it didn’t stop her heart from breaking more.

“What the fuck, Asami?” Opal angrily says. “Why did you lie to her?”  
  
“It’s better off this way,” Asami looks down at the ground, tears silently falling to the ground. “Trust me.”  
  
“You know something we don’t, don’t you?” Opal raises an eyebrow and Asami silently nods her head.  
  
“Yes, I do…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I did it. I made it past what I had originally written the first time around! Anyways, there are two endings and they will be posted simultaneously, but both play off of this chapter.
> 
> So I'm letting you guys vote on which ending you want first.  
> \- Kind of cheesy, at first bittersweet, but ends happy ending (because yes, there was ONE of those)  
> \- The not so happy ending
> 
> :D


	6. Thought That It Would Be Best For Me (Ending 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dumb, cheesy, happy ending first.
> 
> Ending 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story still makes me cringe, and now I am reminded why I never freaking finished it in the first place. But -sigh- enjoy.

Korra steps outside of her house with Naga in tow. It had been six months since she had sold her house in California and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. It had been even longer than that since she had seen Asami on that fateful day in her apartment. But she was offered a deal for a record label and it was something she knew she couldn’t pass up, even if a small part of her was waiting for Asami to show up at her front door. She doesn’t blame Asami for never reaching out, in fact, she knew if the tables were turned and Asami said all the things that Korra had, she probably would get the message and fuck off too.

But she had hoped.

But she also knew that Asami was stubborn and thick-headed. And Asami obviously knew that as well. So it stung a little when Asami didn’t try to come and explain herself. That Asami didn’t try to change her jumbled mind after Korra had left that day. Because Korra knew she was harsh, but she also knew that Asami knew her too damn well to just let it all go.

(Right?)

The offer came shortly after that. And Korra, with the help of Bolin and Kuvira, packed up and moved. It took a few months before her wrists healed fully enough, but she managed to get out of her casts and physical therapy right on schedule.

The crisp Canadian air was exactly what she needed.

If it wasn’t for that damn, small pang in her heart that she felt from time to time.

Naga takes the lead as they stroll through the grassy hills of a park near Korra’s house. The sun is beating down on them, but the slight breeze was enough for Korra to not complain about the heat like she would if they were still in Los Angeles.

Canada was all she needed.

And that empty feeling in her heart didn’t exist.

That’s what she told herself anyway.

As they come to the top of the hill, a buzzing in her pocket pulls her out of her thoughts. She tells Naga to sit and answers it.

“Hey Mako. How goes it?” Mako was one of the music engineers at the studio she was recording at, and also Bolin’s brother. She had found friendship and family in him since arriving.

_‘Hey Korra. Just wanted to let you know that we’re right on schedule. I’m just finishing up mastering your single and it’ll be released. Varrick and Zhu Li are ecstatic and want to throw you a little party. Just wanted to give you a heads up because I know you don’t like surprises.’_

“I appreciate that.” Korra beams. Her first professional single was about to drop and she couldn’t be happier. Go away, stupid crack in her heart, music was her love now.

_‘Yeah, of course. Bolin wants to fly out for the release party, too.’_

“Shit.” Korra says suddenly.

 _‘Korra?’_ Mako’s voice is laced with concern. Was Bolin coming out too much? _‘Korra, I can tell Bolin to not come.’_

“Naga, come back!” Korra screams. Naga had seen something and run off and Korra’s weak wrists couldn’t hold on tight enough for her to stop the giant dog. “Mako, I gotta go. Well take later, okay?”

She hangs up the phone and chases after her dog, who she could see down the hill bothering some woman in a sun hat who looked as if she was reading on a blanket.

Out of breath, she finally catches up, grabbing Naga’s leash and apologizing profusely.

“I’m so sorry,” Korra breathes out. “She’s not usually like this.”

The woman hasn’t said anything, and her head is still down so all Korra can see is raven colored hair coming out from the hat. That and a small little necklace contrasting with the pale skin of the woman’s chest. She doesn’t need to say anything or even see her face, Korra already knows exactly who it is.

“Asami?”

Asami lifts her head and offers a small, genuine smile.

“What? You…? Doing. Here? Canada?” Korra’s jumbled words come out.

Asami shrugs, while petting Naga who is happily licking her arm. “I wanted to see if I could do it.”

“Do what, exactly?” Korra furrows her eyebrows.

“Follow you into the uncertain, the unknown.”

“Uh...?”

“I told you I always chose Iroh because his future was certain and yours wasn’t. I told you that you’d give up your dreams for me. So, I lied enough to get you to follow your dreams and then...” Asami chews on her lower lip. “I moved out here. Korra, I—“

A few moments of silence passed by.

“I knew about the deal. Bolin told me he had it in the works for a while. There were just too many variables in which you gave up everything for me.” Asami sighs. “I did leave Iroh because he hit me. But I also wasn’t lying when I said I was in love with you. I needed you to know that much.”

“But you have no idea how much that hurt.” Korra cringes at the feeling as it resurfaces.

“I do know… I felt it, too, Korra. But I needed you to follow your dreams and not stay in California because of me. This was _your_ future.” Asami replies softly.  
  
“But what about _our_ future? Why didn’t you want to pursue our future?”  
  
“I did want to pursue our future, Korra, but I was scared, and I needed to learn how to not be dependent on people. But in the entire seven months I didn’t spend talking to you, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. And I know I was being selfish by pushing you away to save my own heart, but I just ended up breaking both of ours in the process.” Asami admits. “Look, I know what I did to you was unforgiveable, but trust me when I say this. I have never flown the Pacific Northwest, and moved to a city I didn’t know for anyone. But I did for you. And I’m here and I’m still so madly in love with you. I’m so proud of the person you’ve become.”

And it takes all of Korra’s willpower not to kiss Asami senseless, because holy shit. Even though Asami had literally shattered her heart five months ago, here she was, glowing and actually truthful, and Korra was conflicted. Conflicted because she can _feel_ that Asami was still in love with her. She could _feel_ that Asami was being nothing but truthful. She could _feel_ her shattered heart start mending. But… there was the part of her that was telling her that this wasn’t real.  
  
“You said there were too many variables…” Korra starts off slowly. “What were the other ones?”  
  
Asami bites her lips nervously. “You’re _not_ going to like that I hid this from you… but before I answer this, I need to know something.”  
  
“Okay.” Korra replies cautiously.  
  
“Aside from the next thing I’m about to tell you, just knowing what you know now. Can you honestly tell me that you would’ve still pursued this dream and moved to Canada if we were together, knowing I may not be able to follow?” Asami asks.  
  
“No. I—I… I don’t know…”  
  
“Then this definitely would’ve held you back.” Asami stands up and Korra soaks in the image. She’s wearing a long, loose fitting sweater, and then Korra notices something she didn’t notice before. A bump. Asami reaches out and grabs Korra’s hand, placing it over the now noticeable bump on her stomach. “I’m pregnant. And since I wasn’t sleeping with Iroh during the five months we were that, uh, means…”  
  
“You’re—” Korra’s eyes go wide. “Wow. Whew. Okay. Uh.”  
  
Korra takes a step back, shaking her head. “Holy shit, okay.”

She starts pacing back and forth, her hand against her mouth. She wants to be mad that Asami hid this from her, but she can’t. Because holy fuck, Asami was pregnant. And she was in Canada. And she still was in love with Korra. And her brain was about to explode.

But she was also weary. Asami had literally shattered her that day when Korra found out she was lying, and she knows that there is still a lot of anger and resentment that she harbored towards Asami. And with this newfound revelation, she has no idea what the hell is happening, or even how to respond.  
  
“Korra? Say something?”  
  
“I just don’t understand _how_ , I mean we always used prot—” Korra pauses and a lightbulb goes off in her head. “Except for that one time three weeks before in the—”  
  
“Car. Right.” Asami confirms. “And I freaked out when I took the test.”  
  
“When did you know?”  
  
“The day everything happened between us. Which is why I lied and caused way more damage than I should have, but I just… there’s really no explanation for why I did the things I did other than for selfish reasons. And I don’t expect you to forgive me or jump into this whole…”

“Parents? Us?”  
  
“If you want to be. You don’t have to. I know I hurt you and I know I kind of reopened that wound by showing up… But I also couldn’t stand California without you. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try.” Asami admits. “I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for lying to you, and I’m sorry for hiding this from you. I know it’ll probably take a long time for you to forgive me, let alone trust me. But I love you, so deeply. And if you want, we could give this another shot, the right way. No lies; just us on this weird, crazy, uncertain adventure together. Even if we just start back out as friends and nothing more.”  
  
Korra presses a small smile to her lips, and extends her hand. “Hi, I’m Korra.”  
  
Asami grabs Korra’s hand and shakes it. “Hi, Korra. I’m Asami.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all called it because I'm extremely predictable.  
> Asami sucks in this story, though. But I also didn't have the heart to straight up not have it have no happy ending so here ya go. In all its cheese. 
> 
> I'll post the tragic ending tomorrow, because yes... It is straight up tragic and "not so happy" is literally an understatement... 
> 
> Now I'm having second thoughts...
> 
> Fuck it.


	7. Please Help Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains depictions of drug/alcohol abuse, violence, and suicide that some readers might find offensive or triggering. I advise EXTREME caution to any and all readers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i fucking hate this ending but whatever.  
> you all wanted it so here.

_“Tonight, the world mourns the loss of musician and intersex icon, Korra Ekho. The indie rock star was found dead in her home in Vancouver. The cause of death is still being investigated.  
  
Korra’s close friend and the producer who worked on her album, Mako Fujita, confirmed her death via an Instagram post stating:_

_‘I am not only angry today, but I am heartbroken. Korra, you were one of the brightest lights in the studio, and in my life as a friend. Life will never be the same without you, and I’m so glad that I got to know you and work with you. Rest In Power.’_

_Coroners are still working on the cause of death which is expected to be released later this week but police let us know that there is no suspicion of foul play.  
  
Korra Ekho rose to the top of the charts with her album ‘I’ll Be Back Someday’ featuring number one single ‘Boyfriend’ which had been written two years prior to the album’s release. Ekho had previously stated in an interview that ‘Boyfriend’ was the song that changed everything for her, not only in life but as a musician. She moved to Canada from California three years ago to start working on the album and quickly gained attention among the LGBT community.  
  
Ekho has also been vocal about drug and alcohol abuse, stating in a recent interview that she was seeking help for her vices and that even though she was living her dream that she quickly caved into the pressure that comes with fame. We are unaware if the abuse was a contributing factor to her death.  
  
More updates to come as they are released.”  
  
_Asami wakes up in a cold sweat, heart pounding, breathing heavy and chest heaving. This wasn’t the first time she had a dream (or well, a nightmare) about Korra. In the past three years since Korra walked out of her apartment, she’s counted 607 dreams that’s she had, and unfortunately, most involved Korra dying. And Asami was a fucking wreck over it.  
  
She thinks back to that day, a lot. What she could’ve done differently if she wasn’t just so damn scared of Korra not following her dreams if they had gotten together. She had lied to Korra because she _knew_ that Bolin’s brother Mako was offering her a record deal, and she _knew_ Korra well enough to know that she would’ve stayed behind in California if it meant they could be together.   
  
And what she didn’t want was for both of them to spend the next few months before Korra left falling even more in love with each other just to lose it all. And Asami _knows_ she was being extremely fucking selfish when it came to her own feelings. But she also wanted Korra to succeed and follow her dreams. Her father always said, “if you don’t try, you fail.”

She guesses the same could be said for them. Asami didn’t try, and she failed to keep Korra in her life. And it hurt her to hurt Korra, but at the time, she thought it was for the best. At the time, her selfishness about knowing about the deal was the only way she could stop her heart from breaking more than it had when she lied to the woman she was in love with. Still in love with.  
  
But Korra was now thousands of miles away, and so was Asami. She had left California and settled down in New York, also making somewhat of a name for herself. And British Columbia was on the opposite end of the continent, so she knew there’d be no chance of running into her previous lover and having all of those feelings she still had for her flood her emotions.

Still, it hurt. A LOT. And Asami wishes she had just been brave enough to tough out the long distance until she could land a job somewhere in Canada. That’s literally all she had to do, but she was too scared to even think about leaving the comfort of California, and that was her own downfall. And that was the reason she probably had so many damn dreams about Korra’s death, and why she was so scared to answer any of their friends’ calls in fear that the dream had come true.

  
She spends every day regretting her poor decision makings skills, and now, three years later, it was probably too late.

* * *

Her head feels empty as she stares up at the ceiling of her house. Pupils like marbles hid behind eyelids every time she closed her eyes to stop the annoying light from ruining her buzz. She breathes out a heavy sigh, fingers tapping furiously against her thigh.  
  
So, this wasn’t what she expected life to be like, but after Asami had straight up lied to her, she didn’t know much of anything anymore. She had made it to Canada, recorded two albums, and fell into the deep rut which was drug abuse.   
  
And what hurt most was that Asami knew she was being offered the record deal. She knew and she still didn’t try to make things work. She just lied, instead.  
  
“Is this what you wanted?” Korra asks into the empty air. “Is this what you meant when you always told me to follow my dreams?”  
  
She moves from her laying position to sit up, throwing her hands over her eyes and digging her fingertips into her skull.   
  
“Why do you _still_ get to me? You’re gone, you’re gone, you’re gone.” Korra repeats mindlessly. “You’re never coming back. So why do I still feel this way?”  
  
She huffs out a frustrated groan as she falls back onto the couch, images of their time together swirls through her head.   
  
“Go away.” Korra angrily whispers through gritted teeth. “Get out of my head.”

But the images never stop. They taunt her and mock her. Constant reminders that she was never as good as Iroh, and the drugs weren’t making it any better.  
  
If she couldn’t get the images to leave, she was going to find a way to put them to rest for good.

* * *

It was the call everyone dreads. Opal is woken up at 2 in the morning to a hysterically sobbing Mako and unintelligible babbling through his hyperventilating.   
  
Korra had shot herself.

Opal can feel her heart drop to bottom of her stomach as she throws clothes on and asks Mako to breathe and calm down. He finally is able to tell her that she’s in the hospital, but there’s no news on if she’ll make it or not, but when he had found her, it didn’t look so good. She was still alive, barely, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Mako lived next door and heard the gunshot, she would most definitely be dead.  
  
But she wasn’t out of the woods, and no one knew whether or not she would be.  
  
Opal ponders on telling Asami. It was 5AM in New York, and she knew Asami would be up soon, but without a prognosis, she’s unsure of if she should wait.  
  


She doesn’t and tells Mako to talk to Bolin who’s now also extremely torn to pieces.  
  
She uses Bolin’s phone to call Asami, getting the voicemail.  
  
“Asami—I—Have… FUCK! Korra’s—not—doing… she—herself and—we’re—to Canada—probably—meet us—if—want.”

* * *

Mako stays in the waiting room all night. He’s trying his best to keep his composure as he waits for Korra’s parents, and Bolin and Opal to show up. The doors fly open and someone runs into the lobby.  
  
“Korra!?”   
  
Mako looks up from his lap and his eyes widen. It was Asami, and he’s left wondering how the fuck she had gotten there so quickly.  
  
“Mako!” Asami runs over to him and embraces him in a hug, crying into his shoulder. “I—”  
  
“What are you doing here? How did you get here so quickly?” Mako asks as he breaks away from the hug. He wasn’t Asami’s biggest fan, given the circumstances of what Korra dealt with to this day because of her.  
  
“I…” Asami trails off. “I was already on my way when Opal called. I had just landed in Vancouver about fifteen minutes later and I rushed to the nearest hospital hoping it was the right one. I guess it was.”  
  
“But _what_ are you doing here? In Canada?”  
  
Asami bites her lower lip. “I kept… having nightmares of Korra dying and I—just wanted—look, I know I’m the fuck up here, okay? I know what I did probably caused all of this, and I know that my inability to be brave got me into this whole mess with Korra, but… Mako, I still love her, and I just needed her to know that. Even if she never forgave me. I—”  
  
“I understand.” Mako lowers his head before the loud clearing of a throat pulls his attention away.  
  
He looks over and sees the doctor he had talked to when they brought Korra in.  
  
“I’ll be right back.”  
  
The two talk amongst themselves, and the doctor puts his hand on Mako’s shoulder and Asami fears the worst: that Korra was gone. That she was too late, as she always was, and that she’d never be able to tell Korra that she was sorry or that she still loved her.  
  
Mako returns to his seat and buries his face in his hand.  
  
“Oh god.” Asami breathes out.  
  
“FUCK!” Mako screams out, garnering him the attention of everyone in the waiting room. He gets up from his chair and storms out of the hospital, falling to the ground outside.  
  
Asami follows and kneels down, placing her hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Get the fuck away from me!” He cries, yanking his body away from her. “This is all your fault!”  
  
And ouch, that hurt A LOT, but Asami knew he was right. She knew she was to blame. She just _knew._

“This is all your fault. You fucking destroyed her! They found a note on her and all it talked about was stopping the images of you and how much she hated herself for letting you use her and lie to her! FUCK YOU, ASAMI SATO! JUST FUCK YOU!” Mako bawls as he pounds his fist into the concrete below him before standing up and towering over Asami. He bears his teeth and points his finger at her, eyes filled with rage. “I watched her waste away for three years because of you. I carried her back home after she overdosed because of you. And where were you!? WHERE WERE YOU!?”  
  
“I—”  
  
“ENOUGH!” Mako interrupts, using his finger to push Asami on the chest. “You. Ruined. Her. Life. She waited around for years hoping you’d figure your shit out and reach out to her, but you never fucking did. All she talked about was about how you were the only person who could have the capacity to love someone like her, someone different. And all _you_ did was take advantage of someone who was in love with you and lie to them, and now… they’re gone. She’s gone. And I hope you live with that for the rest of your life.”   
  
“Trust me, Mako. The guilt is already there, and I know I will.”  
  
“I think it’d be best if you left before anyone else shows up.” Mako angrily breathes out. “Just go, like you always do.”

And so, she left, just like she always did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I finally completed this crazy shit show of a story that my dumb brain decided to write.  
> Idk why I did this to myself. Because like I said, CRINGE. 
> 
> Thanks for joining me on this rollercoaster, and don't forget to check out Grow As We Go!
> 
> It probably won't be the only other thing I write, but it'll be the main focus from here on out.
> 
> Much Love,  
> Poetically Pathetic

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure most of these chapters are short. It was only meant to be a short story. Hopefully I got all the names changed, too...
> 
> Anyways! Until next time. Hopefully I don't give up on this like I did last time xD


End file.
